Sonos is making a move into vehicle audio, and its first customer is Audi.
Yesterday, Audi revealed details and photos of its forthcoming electric compact SUV called the Q4 e-tron. What the interior photos revealed is the Sonos logo appearing next to the handles on the rear doors, confirming some Sonos tech is present in the car.
As The Verge reports, during a Q&A session as part of a Sonos investor event, it was confirmed that the company is providing the sound system for the Q4 e-tron. “We want to be in all the different categories of audio, and a big chunk of that is in auto,” said Sonos CEO Patrick Spence, “Our first partnership of bringing our sound experience to automobiles is with Audi.”
Spence’s comments suggest the Q4 is just the first Audi vehicle to feature a Sonos sound experience and that more will follow. It places the company in direct competition with other high-end audio brands already getting their sound tech into vehicles, including Bose, Band & Olufsen, and Bowers & Wilkins.
As well as moving into auto, Sonos this week launched the $169 Roam portable speaker. It’s the company’s second speaker designed to be taken outdoors, with Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity in addition to the Sonos-standard Wi-Fi multiroom audio system. Roam also enjoys an IP67 rating, making it dustproof and waterproof—both very important for a portable device.
